Droid Life » ATT Nexthttp://www.droid-life.com
An intense Android news community bringing you the latest in phones, rooting, apps, and reviews.Sat, 01 Aug 2015 18:19:40 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=4.2.3AT&T Raising Upgrade Fees to $45, Will Add $15 Activation Fee to Next and BYOD Customers on August 1http://www.droid-life.com/2015/07/21/att-raising-upgrade-fees-to-45-will-add-15-activation-fee-to-next-and-byod-customers-on-august-1/
http://www.droid-life.com/2015/07/21/att-raising-upgrade-fees-to-45-will-add-15-activation-fee-to-next-and-byod-customers-on-august-1/#commentsTue, 21 Jul 2015 18:28:45 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=171116AT&T Raising Upgrade Fees to $45, Will Add $15 Activation Fee to Next and BYOD Customers on August 1 is a post from: Droid Life
]]>According to sources, AT&T will raise its activation/upgrade fees for customers when signing one and two-year contracts, but also add-on an activation fee for AT&T Next and Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) customers, starting August 1.

The new activation/upgrade fee for one and two-year agreements is raising from $40 to $45, which gives AT&T the highest activation fee in the industry (Verizon is still at $40 for now). Going forward after August 1, should you choose to sign-up for a new contract to receive a discounted phone, you will pay $5 more than you used to.

In related news, AT&T Next will no longer be a zero-out-of-pocket installment plan. Come August 1, customers who are new to AT&T Next will have to pay a $15 activation fee when they pick up a new phone. This $15 fee also applies to those who bring their own device (BYOD) and sign-up for a new line of service.

Current AT&T Next customers who have an active installment plan prior to August 1 will not be charged the $15 fee on their next upgrade. AT&T has said that this “waiver” is subject to change. In other words, you may not have to pay the $15 fee at your next upgrade, but don’t be surprised if you have to after that.

]]>http://www.droid-life.com/2015/07/21/att-raising-upgrade-fees-to-45-will-add-15-activation-fee-to-next-and-byod-customers-on-august-1/feed/125AT&T is Moving Away From 2-Year Contracts Starting June 1http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/19/att-is-moving-away-from-2-year-contracts-starting-june-1/
http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/19/att-is-moving-away-from-2-year-contracts-starting-june-1/#commentsTue, 19 May 2015 14:19:39 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=167508AT&T is Moving Away From 2-Year Contracts Starting June 1 is a post from: Droid Life
]]>Once June 1 rolls around, it’s going to be harder than ever to sign-up for a new 2-year contract at AT&T and buy a phone at a low subsidized price. According to multiple sources of ours, the wireless carrier will begin transitioning to a world where contracts are on the backburner and AT&T Next is the option that will be presented to you when it’s time to upgrade and your previous contract has ended. In some cases, it will be the only option you have, unless you feel like waiting a few extra days for your brand new phone to arrive.

On June 1, AT&T will no longer offer (at least up front) 2-year contracts for service at Local Dealer and National Retail Locations. Your options to upgrade to a new phone and sign-up for service will be through AT&T Next, because the device payment plan approach is what “aligns with what customers want” at this stage in the game. AT&T also feels that AT&T Next simplifies choice and provides additional savings when combined with their Mobile Share Value plans.

What if you don’t want AT&T Next and would rather sign a 2-year agreement? Local Dealer locations will still technically be able to sign you up for a 2-year agreement via Direct Fulfillment, which is like them placing an order for you in store and then shipping the device to you a few days later. In other words, you wouldn’t see your new phone for a couple of days in some cases. You will also be able to sign-up for 2-year agreements at Company Owned Retail locations, customer service, and att.com. Other than that, AT&T Next is your option and will be the option presented to you.

On a related note, 2-year agreements will still be available for tablets, basic phones, Internet of Things devices, and in some bundle offers.

Of course, the move away from contracts isn’t new to the industry – T-Mobile did away with them a couple of years ago. AT&T, like T-Mobile, is just tweaking their money making machine, so that it makes money through device payment plans instead of by tacking on undisclosed device fees into service contracts when you buy a discounted phone through a subsidy. Still, this model, I think most would argue, is better for customers than 2-year contracts.

Again, once June 1 comes around, many of the AT&T stores you visit will no longer offer 2-year service agreements with discounted phones. Instead, sales reps will move you to an AT&T Next plan, where you won’t have upfront costs for phones, but will have both service and device payments.

]]>http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/19/att-is-moving-away-from-2-year-contracts-starting-june-1/feed/202New AT&T Next 12 With Down Payment is Coming May 28http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/18/new-att-next-12-with-down-payment-is-coming-may-28/
http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/18/new-att-next-12-with-down-payment-is-coming-may-28/#commentsMon, 18 May 2015 22:59:05 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=167480New AT&T Next 12 With Down Payment is Coming May 28 is a post from: Droid Life
]]>AT&T is going to introduce a new AT&T Next option on May 28, according to sources of ours. The new plan, called “AT&T Next 12 With Down Payment,” will offer customers who wouldn’t normally qualify for AT&T Next a chance to buy new phones, upgrade often, and not worry about signing a contract (because those are going away soon).

The new plan, as the name suggests, requires participants to make a down payment of 30% of the device. That 30% is due at the point of sale, with the remaining device price then financed over a 28-month period. Since this is an AT&T Next 12 plan, customers will be able to upgrade to a new phone after 12 months of payments.

This new AT&T Next 12 With Down Payment plan really only differs from AT&T’s Next 12, Next 18, and Next 24 plans in that it requires customers to pay 30% of the phone upfront. With all of the other options, no down payment is due at the point of purchase.

AT&T Next 12 With Down Payment will be available March 28 at AT&T direct channels, as well as retailers like Sears, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, and Micro Center. Best Buy stores will get access to the option on June 1 and Apple will get it some time in July. If you want to try and sign-up for this new device payment plan earlier, Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, and Bestbuy.com may be live as early as May 21.

]]>http://www.droid-life.com/2015/05/18/new-att-next-12-with-down-payment-is-coming-may-28/feed/22AT&T Next 24 Gives You Even Lower Monthly Device Paymentshttp://www.droid-life.com/2014/11/04/att-next-24-gives-you-even-lower-monthly-device-payments/
http://www.droid-life.com/2014/11/04/att-next-24-gives-you-even-lower-monthly-device-payments/#commentsTue, 04 Nov 2014 15:48:27 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=154425AT&T Next 24 Gives You Even Lower Monthly Device Payments is a post from: Droid Life
]]>This morning, AT&T announced that they have added a new option to Next, their device upgrade and monthly payment plan. The new option is called Next 24, with “24” representing the number of payments you have to pay before you can upgrade to a new device. But not only does it stretch out your upgrade time, it also lowers your monthly payments by spreading them out over 30 total payments.

With AT&T Next 24, a customer can upgrade to a new phone for $0 down and then pay equal monthly payments over a 30-month agreement. At 24 months, if the phone is in “good condition,” that customer can trade it in for a new one and sign-up for another payment plan.

Next 24 joins Next 12 (20 monthly payments, upgrade at 12 months) and Next 18 (24 monthly payments, upgrade at 18 months). The big selling point here is the fact that a 30-month payment plan reduces the monthly payment cost for a new phone. If you were to buy a $600 phone, you are looking at $20 per month with Next 24, rather than $25 or $30 that you would see with the Next 12 and Next 18 plans.

]]>http://www.droid-life.com/2014/11/04/att-next-24-gives-you-even-lower-monthly-device-payments/feed/67Verizon Edge is Now Live – Most Top Tier Phones Start at $25.22 Per Monthhttp://www.droid-life.com/2013/08/26/verizon-edge-is-now-live-most-top-tier-phones-start-at-25-22-per-month/
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/08/26/verizon-edge-is-now-live-most-top-tier-phones-start-at-25-22-per-month/#commentsMon, 26 Aug 2013 16:30:25 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=118170Verizon Edge is Now Live – Most Top Tier Phones Start at $25.22 Per Month is a post from: Droid Life
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Shortly after T-Mobile (JUMP!) and AT&T (Next) revealed new upgrade-often, monthly payment plans, Verizon joined the party with Edge. We’ve already compared all three, essentially coming to the conclusion that the options from AT&T and Verizon are nothing short of rip-offs that double charge you for the same device, while T-Mobile’s is at least a somewhat fair choice. But no matter what we think, Edge (which is now live) is an option for those who want to upgrade often and also do not want to have to pay an upfront down payment. Edge will allow customers in good standing the chance to get a phone at a relatively low monthly price and zero down, other than the activation fee and first month’s payment.

Along with the go-live of Verizon Edge, we’re also expecting a special to rollout to unlimited data customers called Verizon Max. Max is an option that would allow unlimited customers a chance to join the Edge program, while still maintaining a sizable allotment of monthly data. We’re talking package deals that start at 6GB of data for $30, an amount that would run a Share Everything customer at least $80. The deal is not being advertised on Verizon’s site at this time, so we’re assuming it’ll only be presented to customers with unlimited data. (Update: It’s live.)

So with Edge now live, we thought we should point out at least a few of the important pieces of it. We knew most of it previously, but now with the official FAQ live, we know it all.

NOTE: To be clear, since there seems to be confusion – you cannot keep unlimited data and participate in Edge. Verizon has introduced Verizon Max as the option for unlimited data users who want to go the monthly payment and early upgrade route. We have gone back to clarify that in previous posts on Edge.

Here are some of the most important FAQ to be aware of:

1. What are the benefits of Verizon Edge?

With Verizon Edge, you can:

Purchase a new phone with a low monthly payment

Enjoy the latest technology available by upgrading your phone more frequently

Sign a month-to-month agreement instead of a long-term contract

Upgrade without additional fees or finance charges

2. Who is eligible for Verizon Edge?

To be eligible for Verizon Edge, existing customers must meet the following requirements:

Six months of good payment history

Eligible for an upgrade

Customers with accounts less than six months will need to go through an internal e-credit check.

To be eligible for Verizon Edge, new customers must pass a credit check.

Prepaid accounts aren’t currently eligible for Verizon Edge.

3. Can I add insurance to a Verizon Edge phone?

Yes. You can purchase insurance and are encouraged to do so to protect against loss or damage.

4. Is there an activation fee for new customers who sign up for Verizon Edge?

Yes. The activation fee policy applies to all new customers, even those signing up for Verizon Edge.

5. Does the Verizon Edge program require a contract?

Yes, you must have a service agreement at the time you enter your 24-month Verizon Edge Agreement. However, a long-term service agreement isn’t required.

6. Can I pay more than my scheduled monthly Verizon Edge installment?

No, unless you are either seeking to Edge Up to a new device, which requires that you pay at least 50% of the device following the initial six months of the Verizon Edge Agreement, or you are seeking to pay off 100% of your Verizon Edge installment agreement, which you may do at any time.

7. What is the Edge Up option under Verizon Edge?

The Edge Up option allows you to turn in your existing Edge phone and upgrade to a new one without an upgrade fee. You must meet the other Edge Up eligibility requirements in the Verizon Edge Agreement to use this option.

The newest fad in the wireless industry has quickly become upgrade plans. After Verizon and AT&T both extended upgrade periods out to 24 months, we have since seen T-Mobile and AT&T officially announce new options to upgrade, but all signs point to Big Red joining them in August. T-Mobile’s is called JUMP!, AT&T’s is called “Next,” and Verizon’s will be called “VZ Edge.”

It’s pretty obvious that carriers have realized that upgrades are simply another way for them to rake in cash, by implementing fees or locking customers into payment plans that will keep them on their network. So to try to help explain all three of these new plans, I’ve attempted to break down some basic examples below. It’s a long one, so strap in.

VZ Edge from Verizon

Since the only details we know about VZ Edge are through a report of ours, we still do not know everything, however, since it appears to be an extension of Verizon’s device payment plan, we can make pretty good guesses here. Once this plan is announced, we will try to get back and update this post to make it 100% accurate.

Update: Verizon has announced VZ Edge, so we’ve made edits to the original post to make sure it is accurate.

The Basics:

Full retail priced smartphone or tablet price must be a minimum of $349.99.

Pay for the full retail priced smartphone or tablet in 24 payments.

Finance charge of $24, which is just $2 per installment.

Once 50% of the device is paid off and you have participated for 6 months, you can upgrade to a new phone.

To upgrade, you trade in your current phone.

There are no upgrade fees, no contract agreements, or finance charges.

First payment due at time of purchase. Your next payment will appear on your next Verizon Wireless bill.1

Feel free to pay off the full balance of your new full retail priced smartphone or tablet anytime you want.

Example 1:

I’ll use my current Verizon situation as an example, since it includes unlimited data and is likely a scenario that many of you are looking at. I have an older $80 per month 700-minute share plan, along with two lines that each have $29.99 unlimited data plans. I’m also a current customer, so there was no upfront cost for a new phone. So my bill, sans taxes and fees, runs about $140 per month. If I were to buy into the device payment plan in order to pick up a new phone and still keep my unlimited data (can’t keep unlimited data, have to switch to a Verizon Max plan), we’re looking at the full retail price of a phone broken down into 24 monthly payments plus a $24 finance charge (also broken into 12 payments). So say I choose the Samsung Galaxy S4 which costs $650 – I would then be looking at an additional monthly charge of around $27 for 24 months; my bill would jump to $167.

But with VZ Edge, I can upgrade to a new phone once that Galaxy S4 I just bought is 50% paid off and have participated for 6 months. Assuming I pay the regular $27 per month payment, I could upgrade again in 12 months time. I’d have paid $324 already on that phone.

Now this is where it becomes a bit of a mystery, as the full details are not yet available. Verizon has followed T-Mobile or AT&T’s lead, in that they allow you to trade in your current phone that is 50% paid off and pick up a new one. You wouldn’t have to pay an upfront cost other than the first month’s payment to get your new phone.

So essentially, depending on the full retail price of the phone you buy, you are looking at anywhere from an extra $15 to close to $30 added on to your bill per phone. At the end of the 24-month payment plan, should you not upgrade after paying 50% off, you will pay an additional $325 (top tier phone price) in a year period for something like the Galaxy S4, which is on top of the $1680 your service plan already ran you during that same year.

Example 2:

To use one of Verizon’s current plans, let’s just tackle a single line on Share Everything with a standard 2GB of data. You are looking at $40 per month for the smartphone line itself (unlimited talk and text), plus $60 per month for the 2GB of data ($15 extra for every GB over). Your bill would be $100 per month.

If you decide you want to participate in the device payment plan with VZ Edge and start with a Galaxy S4, you will also pay an extra $27 per month installment. If you pay the phone off after 24 months, you will have paid $325 extra in a 2-year period on top of the $1200 your service plan ran you. You could also upgrade a year in (or once you paid off 50% of your phone), but that shouldn’t change your payment if you bought another phone that was $650 at full retail. Again, that’s assuming Verizon will let you swap out phones at the 50% mark and not make you continue to carry a payment for the old phone until it’s paid off.

At the end of a 2-year period, you are looking at $2400 for the service, plus $1300 (assuming you picked up two $650 phones), totaling $3700 (sans taxes and fees). Keep in mind that you may also be able to tack on an additional $200 or so, should you have bought a subsidized phone at the beginning of the contract or as a new customer.

Conclusion:

Where this all gets really dirty, is in the idea of a subsidy. You see, with most wireless plans, customers buy a phone at a subsidized price of say $200 for the latest and greatest at the beginning of a contract. Carriers give you such a good deal on a phone that would normally cost $650 because they build a subsidy type of charge into your monthly service plan to help pay off that phone. While they may not ever admit that, it’s widely understood in the industry that this is the way it works. So say my bill is $140 for my two lines, a portion of that is likely there to cover a subsidy, should I have received a deal on a phone when I signed my contract.

With something like VZ Edge (and also AT&T Next, which we’ll get to), Verizon is asking you to pay a monthly fee for a device (plus a finance charge) and also that subsidy that is built into your service plan. Yes, you are essentially getting double pimp-slapped. Feel insulted? You should.

Note: Verizon has announced that there are no finance charges with VZ Edge, so that’s why you are seeing the finance charge sections crossed out.

AT&T Next from AT&T

AT&T announced AT&T Next on July 16 as their attempt to offer an early upgrade option for those who love to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Of course, this move came shortly after they raised their upgrade dates on contracts from 20 to 24 months.

The Basics:

Customers can get a new device with no down payment.

Upgrade and activation fees are waived with AT&T Next.

The monthly device installments do not have a financing fee.

There’s no penalty if the customer pays off the balance of their installment plan early.

Customers can trade in their device after 12 months, or they can keep using their device, and have no more installment payments after 20 months.

There’s no additional monthly fee required to participate in AT&T Next upgrades.

Devices operate on the nation’s fastest 4G LTE network.

Example 1:

AT&T’s plans work much like Verizon’s, so I’ll just grab one of their Mobile Share plans that includes unlimited talk and text. If we choose the 4GB data option (there isn’t a 2GB option), then we’re looking at $45 per month for a single smartphone plus $70 per month for 4GB of data. Your bill, as a single line, would run about $115 per month or $2760 for the life of a contract (sans taxes and fees).

But let’s say you decide you want to participate in AT&T Next, so you buy a new phone. You choose the Galaxy S4 which costs $650 at full retail. AT&T breaks that down in 20 monthly payments, making it $32 per month extra on top of your $115. There is no finance charge per month, unlike Verizon who charges $2 per month. In 12 months, you can decide to trade your phone in and pick up a new one. AT&T will wipe the other phone and payment away and let you take on a new monthly payment for the new phone. If you don’t want a new phone at the 12-month mark, you can continue to pay your current phone off until you hit 20 months. When upgrading at the 12-month mark, there is no downpayment.

If we look 24 months down the road, you could be on your second phone and have paid $768 ($32 per month), assuming both were $650 phones, plus the $2760 for your wireless service for a total of $3528. This scenario does not include the $200 you likely spent when you signed your contract and purchased a subsidized phone.

Conclusion:

So the difference here when compared to Verizon’s plan is minimal. There are different monthly installment periods and percentages, but in the end it’s the same deal. AT&T Next asks that you pay for normal wireless service with the subsidy built in to the cost, plus add on an additional monthly payment for a phone. Again, they are double charging you for a phone – you are paying for it twice.

JUMP! from T-Mobile

T-Mobile introduced JUMP! as their upgrade plan, giving customers the opportunity to upgrade phones two times every 12 months, while paying a $10 per month charge (this also includes insurance for the phone).

The Basics:

Buy a new smartphone on a Simple Choice Plan using our Equipment Installment Program.

Enroll in JUMP! for $10 a month when you add Services to your order.

Upgrade as soon as six months after enrollment.

Trade in your phone each time you upgrade so you can get the same great price as new customers for new phones.

Example 1:

Let’s say you pick up T-Mobile’s Simple Choice plan which runs $60, gives you unlimited talk and text, plus unlimited data with up to 2.5GB at full 4G speeds. Since T-Mobile makes phones separate from their plans now, you really do only pay $60 a month for service. Unlike Verizon and AT&T, T-Mobile doesn’t include a subsidy phone charge in their plans.

But this is where it gets different. Should you choose the Galaxy S4 at the time you sign up for service, you will pay a down payment of $150 for the phone. You will then have a $20 per month installment plan to pay the rest of it off over 24 months. If you sign-up for JUMP!, so that you can upgrade often, you will pay an additional $10 per month which is the fee associated with the program. Your monthly bill is now $90.

So you participate in JUMP! for 6 months and decide to upgrade to a new top tier phone that costs $150. You trade in your Galaxy S4, pay the $150 for the new phone, and continue on about your way. T-Mobile doesn’t ask you to pay off the previous phone, they just give you a new installment plan that matches your old at $20 per month. You have now paid $300 upfront for two phones, and $180 (equal to 6 months worth of payments for phones, plus $10 JUMP! fee). If we take the upfront costs of the phones out for a second, you are essentially paying $30 per month ($20 installment for phone, $10 for JUMP!) for early upgrades and to be a part of JUMP!.

If you were to upgrade the one time during your first 12 months (you can do it twice if you want), you would have paid $720 for service, plus $240 in device installments, plus $120 to be a part of JUMP!. Tack on the $150 you paid as a downpayment on the first phone, plus another $150 as a downpayment on the second phone and your total for one year’s worth of service on T-Mobile sits around $1380.

If you don’t upgrade to another phone at any time then for another 12 months and just pay for service, your total cost would sit somewhere around $2460. Now, T-Mobile wants you to upgrade more, so they have given you the opportunity to upgrade twice every 12 months, so should you have upgrade again, you could tack on another $150 which would be a downpayment on a top tier phone.

Conclusion:

In the end, T-Mobile’s JUMP! upgrade option is just that, an option, but it’s not necessarily cheaper as a stand-alone product than either Verizon or AT&T’s new upgrade plans. You are paying around $30 per month (depending on the phone) to participate in their JUMP! program ($20 installments and $10 JUMP! fee), plus you have to throw down a downpayment of around $150 for a top tier phone each time you upgrade whereas VZW and AT&T don’t require downpayments. So in terms of how much you are paying per month, it seems like you would be paying more for T-Mobile’s upgrade plan, right?

Technically yes, but just for the upgrade plan. Since T-Mobile pulls out the subsidy fee from their service, they aren’t hitting you up twice for the same phone, something that both Verizon and AT&T are doing by adding in subsidy costs into their wireless plans. In reality, you have lower service expenses, with slightly higher priced upgrade options on T-Mobile. Also, T-Mo’s plan includes equipment coverage in the $10 fee, while Verizon and AT&T still charge you extra.

Final Thoughts

I probably don’t need to say this, but none of these companies would be doing this if they weren’t making money in the end. The big deal to me with these plans, is the fact that Verizon and AT&T are essentially charging you twice for your phone. They include a subsidy fee in their wireless service, but are now also asking that you pay a monthly fee for a phone just because you want to upgrade more than once every two years.

With T-Mobile, the entire package looks cheaper, but that’s because T-Mo doesn’t include a subsidy fee in their wireless plans, leaving it substantially lower from the get-go. For example, you can get unlimited talk, text, and data (with 2.5GB at full 4G speeds) on T-Mobile for $60 per month, while AT&T is charging you $115 for something comparable because of the subsidy fee. Verizon is much the same way.

T-Mobile is clearly the more affordable overall option, but you already knew that. Your problem for sticking with one of the big two carriers probably has to do with coverage and network more than anything. Hopefully this will at least help you realize where that few extra hundred dollars is going when you decide to join their upgrade program in order to keep your current plan. If anything, know that you aren’t getting a deal.

*Note – In the examples, I didn’t go into the idea that you could re-sell your phones after you pay them off, as that can completely change the entire situation.

]]>http://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/16/comparing-verizon-att-and-t-mobiles-new-upgrade-plans/feed/271AT&T Announces “AT&T Next” as a Plan to Get Customers a New Smartphone or Tablet Every Year With No Down Paymenthttp://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/15/att-announces-att-next-as-a-plan-to-get-customers-a-new-smartphone-or-tablet-every-year-with-o-down-payment/
http://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/15/att-announces-att-next-as-a-plan-to-get-customers-a-new-smartphone-or-tablet-every-year-with-o-down-payment/#commentsTue, 16 Jul 2013 04:15:24 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=114258AT&T Announces “AT&T Next” as a Plan to Get Customers a New Smartphone or Tablet Every Year With No Down Payment is a post from: Droid Life
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AT&T didn’t wait until July 16 to announce (unless you are on east coast time) “what’s next in wireless,” which they teased us all about last week. “What’s next” is their new upgrade plan called “AT&T Next” that allows customers to purchase a smartphone or tablet with no down payment (or activation fees) and agree to pay monthly installments for the device. After 12 payments, customers can decide if they’d then like to keep the device or trade it in again for another brand new device (once again with no down payment). If they’d like to keep their current phone, they can pay their device off after 20 months.

There is no monthly fee to participate in this plan, plus monthly installments range from $15 to $50 per month. The example AT&T gives includes a Galaxy S4 – you can pick up a GS4 with no money down and pay $32 per month for 12 months and then upgrade to something new, or keep it and pay it off in 20. Paying off the phone early does not mean a penalty either.

The new AT&T Next plan goes live on July 26.

Here are the major bullet points according to AT&T:

Customers can get a new device with no down payment

Upgrade and activation fees are waived with AT&T Next

The monthly device installments do not have a financing fee

There’s no penalty if the customer pays off the balance of their installment plan early

Customers can trade in their device after 12 months, or they can keep using their device, and have no more installment payments after 20 months

There’s no additional monthly fee required to participate in AT&T Next upgrades

Intro Video

Press Release

AT&T Customers Can Get a New Smartphone or Tablet Every Year With No Down Payment With “AT&T Next”

No Down Payment, No Upgrade or Activation Fees, and All On The Nationâ€™s Fastest 4G LTE Network AT&T 4G LTE Now Covers More than 225 Million People

Dallas, Texas, July 16, 2013

Today, AT&T* introduces what’s next in wireless. Beginning nationwide on July 26, consumers can get a new AT&T smartphone or tablet every year with no down payment, no activation fee, no upgrade fee and no financing fees.**

With AT&T Next, customers purchase a smartphone or tablet with no down payment and agree to pay monthly installments for the device. After 12 payments, they can trade it in and upgrade to a brand new device — again with no down payment — or they can keep using their device and have no more payments after 20 months. AT&T Next is available for new AT&T customers or existing customers who are upgrade eligible.

“With AT&T Next, customers can get the newest smartphone or tablet every year with no down payment. That’s hard to beat, and it’s an incredible value for customers who want the latest and greatest every year,” said Ralph de la Vega, president and chief executive officer of AT&T Mobility.

AT&T’s 4G LTE network now covers more than 225 million people nationwide and 328 markets. AT&T’s 4G LTE deployment is expected to cover 300 million people by year-end 2014, with nearly 90 percent of the build completed by the end of this year.

The great performance of AT&T’s network continues to be validated by independent third-party testing. AT&T 4G LTE service was recognized as having faster average download and upload speeds than any of our competitors in PCWorld/TechHive’s most recent 20-market speed tests — the second consecutive year that AT&T has ranked first overall. PCWorld/TechHive also ranked AT&T’s as the fastest combination of 3G and 4G services in the 20 cities it tested.*** And AT&T was named America’s fastest 4G LTE network in PC Magazine’s 2013 Fastest Mobile Networks 30-market study — and also swept the top rankings in all six U.S. regions from coast to coast: Northeast, Southeast, North-Central, South-Central, Northwest and Southwest.****

AT&T Next is available for any current smartphone or tablet in AT&T’s industry-leading selection of devices. The interest-free monthly device installments range from $15 to $50, depending on the device selected. For example, a customer purchasing a Samsung Galaxy® S 4 would have no down payment and pay $32 per month, in addition to the monthly wireless service plan they choose, with the option to trade in their device and upgrade after 12 payments or to keep using the device and pay off the installment plan in full after 20 months. There’s no penalty for paying off the installment plan early.

AT&T offers a broad choice of device purchasing options. In addition to AT&T Next, customers continue to have their choice of all current options, including getting a discounted device with a two-year service commitment; paying full retail price for a device with no-commitment; getting a partial discount for an early upgrade after six months with a two-year service commitment; or bringing their own compatible device.

More information is available at www.att.com/next or at any AT&T retail store.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and internationally. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s largest 4G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile Internet, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world.